Arizona's Most Historic State Park Showcases Frontier Life With Immersive Exhibits And Lively Reenactments

More than 3 million people visit Arizona's state park system annually, which has 33 state parks totaling more than 61,000 acres of land, including eight historical parks. One of the shining jewels of this park system is Fort Verde State Historic Park, located in Camp Verde, about an hour's drive from Prescott, Arizona, a mountain town with a historic whiskey row and the spirit of the gold rush era. The fort was active from 1871 to 1891, when it consisted of 22 structures, and it's often considered one of Arizona's best examples of military buildings from the Indian War Era.

Built to support and protect the settlers, families continued to live in the fort following the conclusion of the Indian Wars, with most eventually departing in the 1970s. Today, Fort Verde has several of the original buildings and is open to visitors to experience what life was like in a frontier town. For even more historical immersion of frontier life, about 30 minutes north of the park is the Verde Canyon Railroad, an affordable train ride that passes stunning desert scenery and natural wonders, which makes a great combination trip with a visit to Fort Verde State Park.

Fort Verde State Park offers museums and interactive exhibits for an educational trip through the past. The main museum is housed in the former military quarters, which showcases the stories from the Indian Wars, the lifestyles of doctors and settlers living in the fort, as well as the Yavapai and Apache tribes living in the area. There's also an abundance of artifacts on display. In Officer's Row, visitors can experience three different museums with decor and furniture from the 1880s. The park is also home to picnic areas, a bookstore, and a gift shop. The living history series provides a peek into specific aspects of the past, with costumed actors and educational programs.

If you plan your trip during one of the many events at the fort, you're in for a real treat. During Fort Verde Days in October, expect live cooking demonstrations (in traditional Dutch ovens), artillery shows, and historic reenactments. For Halloween, the fort is open after hours for spooky lantern tours, and during Christmas, it's decked out with Victorian Christmas decorations. During the summer months, directly next to the fort is the summer farmer's market for fresh produce, meat, pastries, and more.

The town of Camp Verde is a unique destination in itself, as it's a high desert hideaway with cliffside ruins and small-town charm. Set in the Verde Valley, with nine federal wilderness areas within close proximity, Camp Verde makes an excellent base for exploring the great outdoors. The Verde River is fantastic for kayaking and canoeing, and the gorgeous aqua waters and falls of Fossil Creek are certainly worth exploring. Cliff dwellings can be found in the area, and nearby trails are ideal for hiking and horseback riding, including the popular Bell Trail, which was originally used for moving cattle and has natural pools along the way.

If you'd like to stay a few days, Camp Verde has several campgrounds and RV parks, as well as modern hotels like the Fort Verde Suites, which offers charming, frontier-themed accommodations right on Main Street. To reach Camp Verde and Fort Verde State Park, the Prescott Regional Airport has a handful of commercial flight options and is just under an hour's drive from the fort. Or, Flagstaff Pullman Airport is another small, commercial airport with a few flights daily and is about the same distance from Camp Verde. The Amtrak train also stops in Flagstaff, and rental cars are readily available. You could also fly into Phoenix, which is less than two hours away.